MOR103 at the ACR 2012 in Washington

Target GM-CSF, there had been some interesting data, but only published by MorphoSys: http://www.morphosys.com/pressrelease/morphosyss-mor103-antibody-demonstrates-excellent-safety-and-efficacy-rheumatoid-arthritis-patients.

There has been a late breaking poster on MOR103. Frank Behrens and colleagues presented a poster with the title (Abstract No. L11): “First in Patient Study of Anti-GM-CSF Monoclonal Antibody (MOR103) in Active Rheumatoid Arthritis: Results of a Phase 1b/2a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial”. Conclusion: “MOR103 demonstrated rapid and significant clinical activity compared to placebo, most pronounced at the 1.0 mg/kg dosage in this study. Short-term safety and tolerability remained in the range of placebo. …”. So far, so good. But in “results” I’ve found: “Most frequent AEs in the MOR103 group were nasopharyngitis and worsening of RA (in all but one patient in post-treatment follow-up).” We can handle nasopharyngitis, but what does “worsening of RA” stand for? How bad would it be?

MorphoSys seems to be happy with their new child. The German review “Rheuma Management” speaks of promising data. Unless there’s data from a larger study I refrain from taking the same line.